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- (No Mbdel.) I 2 Sheets-Shet 1. H. R. TRACY.

AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR HATCH.

Patented Feb. 7.1882.

(No Model.) -2 SheetsSheet 2 H. RJTRA Y.

/ 7 AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR HATCH. No. 253,323. Patented Feb. 7,1882.-

WQ Winn)" mu a mm \\\\\\'|M ii I wily/1m)" [J W 1 J @WW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFrcE.

HARRIET R. TRACY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., 'ASSIGNOB TO BENJAMIN T.

BABBITT, OF SAME PLACE.

'AUTOMATICELEVATOR-HATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 253,323, dated February 7, 1882.

Application filed June 3, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIET R. TRACY, of New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Elevator- Hatches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has relation to that class of devices employed for closing the hatchways in elevator-shafts and it consists essentially in the employment of a double series of vertically-moviug hatches or doors, (one above and the other below the car or carriage,) the two series being connected by suitable cords, chains, cables, or ropes, and so arranged that upon movement of the car or carriage up or down the hatchways will be successively closed and the invention involves, also, certain novel and useful arrangements or combinations of parts, details of construction, and peculiarities of operation, all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawingsl have chosen the ordinary shaft of a passenger-elevator with which vto illustrate my improvements; but it is to be understood that the improvements are applicable in connection with any form ofcar or carriage, whether for passengers, freight, or. for other uses, the same being made movable within a shaft which it is desired to keep closed against upward drafts of air and secured against accidental falling of persons and things.

In'Figure l of the drawings I have shown a vertical section of an elevator-shaft having my improved hatches arranged to work therein in connection with the car or platform, the platform being shown as stopped at the lower floor, the hatchwaysabove being closed by the hatches. Fig. 2 is a similar view, wherein the car is stopped at the upper landing. In both these figures the movable hatches are connected with the bottom or adjacent part of the car by suitable attachments, being compelled to rise with the car as the latter ascends, and permitted to descend by reason of their gravity as the car descends. Figs. 3 and 4: are vertical sections, showing the two series of hatches united by endless ropes or cables, and adapted to be raised and lowered by mechanism independent of the car.

In all the figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate "corresponding parts.

It is well known that in buildings where elevators are employed the shaft wherein the car moves up and down operates as a chimney, in which, in case of fire, the upward draft accelerates the combustion, and the chimney so formed facilitates the progress or-passage of fire from one floor to the other. Serious accidents frequently occur to persons in the building where the hatchways are not closed as the carpasses, and it is desirable to prevent the possibility of persons or things falling down the shaft or well. The devices herein shown are well calculated to obviate these disadvantages, and their simplicity, cheapness, and easy working will commend them for adoption in situations where needed.

A is the car, carriage, or platform, made to move up and down within the elevator-shaft, which may be of any height and have any number of landings. i

B B B are the hatches or doors above the car, intended to close the hatchways at the several landings when the car is at the lowermost floor.

G O C are the hatches below the car, intended to close the hatchways at the several landings when the car is stopped at the upper floor. An inspection of the drawings will show that by the arrangement adopted when the car is at any intermediate landing the hatchways above and below will be closed, and thus at all times the shaft be closed as thecar passes either up or down.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the bands, ropes, or cables D,.which govern the motions of the hatches, are attached to the lowermost of the upper series of hatches, pass through the remaining hatches above the car, thence over a wheel or pulley, E, located at some convenient point in the upper part of the shaft, then down and around a lower wheel or pulley, F,

up through the lower series of hatches, and are then connected with the bottom of the car, or with some convenient point of the car.

At suitable intervals on the hatch-ropes D are the blocks or stop a a a arranged to pass freely over the wheel or pulley F, and to engage with the lower batches in their order. For this purpose the blocks or stops areof varying size and pass through varying-sized openings in the hatches, or some other simple and convenient arrangement may be adopted for the purpose of making the connection with the batches and their'ropes at the proper intervals. As the ear ascends from its position in Fig. 1 the block acarrics with it the hatch C, so that when the car has reached the second landing C will close the opening at the first floor, and upon further upward movement of the car block a carries (3 to the first floor, 0 being further elevated and made to close the next opening, and so on for all the hatches below thecar. Asthe ear ascends ol'eourse the batch B is carried up by cable D. W'hen B strikes B then both are carried up until the third is reached, and so on for all above the car. The car having reached the position indicated in Fig. 2, as soon as it commences to descend the hatches above and below descendwithit, those above being arrested at their proper landings by suitable stops, as b b, located upon the walls of the shaft, and those below being maintained upon the blocks attached to ropesD in a manner easily understood. A suitable ledge, d, may be provided in the lower part of the shaft for sustaining the lower series of hatches when at their lowermost position.

Any suitable num ber of hatch ropes or cables D may be provided, according to the size and character of the hatches. The hatches aresuitably notched, so as to pass the stops not intended to hold them in a manner easily understood.

The several hatches 1nay,if desired,be counterbalanced, or a eounterbalaneing-weight may be applied to the ropes or cables D.

Any convenient arrangement of the ropes or cables D may be made; but it is preferred to locate one portion of them exteriorly to the shaft, as indicated, so as to be entirely out of the way of the car.

The hatches are intended to be made aslight as is consistent with the uses for which they are intended, and a very light cable eonnection for them will answer allthe required purposes.

The improved hatches and attachments may be easily and cheaply applied to any of the forms of elevators now in use without material alteration of any parts, and without requiring skilled labor, as is necessary in connection with some complicated forms of hatchway-covers which have been proposed.

Under some circumstances it may be desirable that the hatches be not moved by direct connection with the car, but by some independent mechanism. To provide for this I make the ropes or cables D endless, substantially as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. Instead of being attached to the bottom of the car, as in Figs. 1 and 2, they continue from the lower series of hatches up to the upper series. Under this arrangement the lower wheels may be driven by any suitable connection, as the shaft G and band'wheel H, with the engine or motor which moves the car, or they may be driven by an entirely independent motor.

The operation of closing the hatchways is substantially the same as explained when referring to Figs. 1 and 2.

In many classes of elevators, particularly those intended for carrying passengers, it is desirable that a space above the car be pro vided for light and ventilation, and to prevent the hatches above the car from coming too close down upon the roof of the car I provide a stop, I, on the elevator-cable, which may be moved up or down to any desired place, and will regulate the distance between the top of the car and the first hatch-cover above. This may be adjusted at pleasure, so that at some times one distance between the car and batch is maintained and atother times another distance.

With the endless ropes or hands and the stop I it will appear that the several hatches may be moved upwardly without the use of the lower connections, if desired, the stop I serving, through the medium of thelowermost of the upper hatches, to move all the others at the proper time. They will descend by their own gravity and assume their proper places, according to the position of the car, at any time.

The counter-balance may be applied to the endless ropes or bands in the same manner as above explained.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevator-shaft, the two series of vertically-moving hatches, one above and the other below the car, adapted to closethe openings in each floor as the car passes either up or down, the two series being connected by a chain or cable passing over suitable pulleys in the region of the top and bottom of the shaft, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. In an elevator-shaft, the two series of vertically-moving hatches, one above and the other below the car, adapted to close the openings in each floor as the car passes either up or down, the two series being connected by a suitable chain or cable passing over pulleys or wheels, said chain or cable being provided with blocks or stops which determine the location and movement of the hatches in the lower series, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an elevator-shaft, the two series of vertically-moving hatches connected by an endless band or cable having suitable stops or blocks, and running over suitable wheels or pulleys in the region of the top and bottom car connected with those below the car by a suitable chain or cable the adjustable stop lo cated upon the elevator-cable, as and for the v purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRIET RUTH TRACY.

Witnesses:

JOHN BUGKLER, WORTH OSGOOD. 

